SBYKE a bike-scooter-skateboard hybrid lets kids and adults ‘ski …

It has handlebars and a big front wheel, but the back has a flat section

The rider, young or old, propels themselves like a scooter

The inventors say using it is like ‘skiing on a pavement’

A smaller version costs £99.95 and a bigger version is £159.95

By

Jonathan O’Callaghan for MailOnline

Published:
10:37 EST, 11 March 2015

| Updated:
13:48 EST, 11 March 2015

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Can’t choose between a bike, scooter or a skateboard for the commute to work? Now you don’t have to, as inventors have come up with a contraption that combines all three into one.

The device, called a Sbyke, offers riders young and old the ability to enjoy the three modes of transport simulataneously in a bizarre contraption that has cherry-picked features from each.

It has a set of handlebars and a big front wheel like a bike, but the back section looks more like a skateboard. The rider propels themselves as if they were on a scooter.

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Two Californian inventors have come up with a new type of transport. The Sbyke (shown) is a mix of a bike, scooter and a skateboard. It has handlebars and a big front wheel, but the back has a flat section

Its makers say riding a Sbyke feels nothing like a conventional scooter – instead it is more like ‘skiing on a pavement’.

FORD UNVEILS 21ST CENTURY BIKE

Ford may be known for its cars, but at this year’s Mobile World Congress the auto giant also unveiled a pair of electric bikes.

Both prototypes are powered by 200-watt motors, fold to fit on a train or in the boot of a car, and with pedal assist, help riders reach speeds of up to 15mph (25km/h).

The bikes are part of an experiment by Ford called Handle on Mobility, which aims to make journeys safer and more efficient.

The bikes, called MoDe:Me and MoDe:Pro, are based on designs by Ford employees and take inspiration from technology seen in cars.

For example, both bikes are fitted with rear-facing ultrasonic sensors.

These sensors link with the handlebars to discreetly alert the rider when a car is about to overtake using subtle vibrations.

The Sbyke is the brainchild of racing drivers Bart and Steve Wilson from San Clemente California who came up with the design as a way to get around the pit lanes at a race track quickly.

The Wilson brothers then teamed up with designer Brad Wernli and together they built the first prototype in Brad’s garage before launching the product worldwide.

The Sbyke comes in two main models – a mini one for children under seven and a bigger version for older kids and adults.

The smaller one costs £99.95 ($149) and the bigger is £159.95 ($249) from sbykeuk.co.uk.

Shaun Turner from Hertfordshire, director of Sbyke UK, said: ‘The Sbyke is the evolution of the kick scooter – a brand new revolutionary hybrid scooter which takes the best elements from scootering, skateboarding and cycling and rolls them all into one.

‘Although it looks a little like a bike, a skateboard and a scooter all mixed together, it rides unlike any of them.

‘Sbyke takes the best attributes of each and combines them into something totally unique.

‘Imagine skiing and surfing but on the pavement. That’s the sensation Sbyke can give you.’

The rider, young or old, propels themselves like a scooter. The inventors say using it is like ‘skiing on a pavement’. A smaller version costs £99.95 and a bigger version is £159.95

The large front wheel supposedly helps propel the Sbyke up to five times further per push than a conventional scooter (left), while a patented rear wheel steer system apparently allows for ‘amazingly tight turns’ (right). Ahandbrake can also be used to keep it at a standstill

Shaun Turner from Hertfordshire, director of Sbyke UK, said: ‘The Sbyke is the evolution of the kick scooter – a brand new revolutionary hybrid scooter which takes the best elements from scootering, skateboarding and cycling and rolls them all into one’

A patented rear wheel steer system apparently allows for ‘amazingly tight turns’, while a handbrake can also be used to keep it at a standstill.

The large front wheel, meanwhile, supposedly helps propel the Sbyke up to five times further per push than a conventional scooter.

‘Sbyke is also fabulous for a child’s balance and core strength – once mastered riding one is addictive,’ added Mr Turner.

‘The patented design is portable, easy to control and perfect for use in countless places.

‘The Sbyke can be used for cruising, tricks, commuting, keeping fit, improving balance and just having fun.’

‘Sbyke is also fabulous for a child’s balance and core strength – once mastered riding one is addictive,’ added Mr Turner, who said both kids and adults can enjoy it

The Sbyke comes in two models – a mini one for children under seven and a bigger version for older kids and adults. The Sbyke is the brainchild of car racers Bart and Steve Wilson from California who came up with the design as a way to get around the pit lanes at a race track quickly